PETALING JAYA: Ninety-one primary school students in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah were rushed to hospital yesterday due to food poisoning.
State education department director Datuk Raisin Saidin confirmed the incident after it went viral on social media.
According to New Straits Times, he said that the incident was discovered after pupils began complaining to teachers of vomiting and feeling unwell.
ALSO READ: Gombak food poisoning case: Chemist report still pending, says police
“The school’s management and teachers immediately started gathering information and identifying other students who also developed similar symptoms.
“The affected pupils were immediately rushed to the nearest clinics and hospitals around the city,“ he was quoted as saying.
He mentioned that according to reports, 55 pupils received treatment at Sabah Women and Children’s Hospital in Likas, while 25 were admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Additionally, eight pupils were treated at Klinik Kesihatan Luyang, two at SAFMA jetty clinic, and one at UTC Kota Kinabalu clinic.
ALSO READ: Food poisoning: 28 SMK Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra students discharged
“Ninety percent of the pupils were warded to allow doctors to monitor their situation with the remaining allowed to return home,“ he told the English daily.
Following the incident, he said that the district education office has temporarily suspended the supplementary food programme (RMT) and closed the school’s canteen.
“The district education office has scheduled an appointment with the Kota Kinabalu health office team to conduct an investigation and take samples at the school today.
“The Sabah education department requests all parents and guardians to report immediately if their children experience symptoms of food poisoning.
“We are constantly monitoring the situation including visiting pupils who were admitted to the hospitals.”
He stated that the cause of the food poisoning is being investigated, and it remains unclear whether it originated from the school canteen or the food served under the RMT program.
82 suffer food poisoning symptoms from consuming fried noodles and eggs
